Emotes are built-in animations you trigger with a single button press

An emote in Fortnite is a short animation your character performs — dancing, waving, laughing, or striking a pose. On PC, you trigger an emote by pressing a key you assign in your settings, then selecting which emote to play from a radial menu. The whole action takes two or three seconds and does not interrupt combat or movement.

You own emotes through the Battle Pass (the seasonal progression track) or by purchasing them from the Item Shop with V-Bucks, the in-game currency. Some emotes come free with the Battle Pass; others cost between 200 and 800 V-Bucks depending on length and complexity.

Emotes are purely cosmetic — they do not affect gameplay, give you an advantage, or change how you move or shoot. They exist to express yourself or celebrate a win.

Key Takeaways

  • Press your emote key (default is E) to open the emote wheel, then click the emote you want to perform.
  • You can bind the emote key to any key in Settings > Controls > Emote, and you can customize which emotes appear on your wheel.
  • Emotes you own come from the Battle Pass, the Item Shop, or special events, and you can preview them before buying.
  • You can perform an emote while standing still or moving, but you cannot shoot or build while an emote is playing.

How to open the emote wheel and pick an emote

By default, pressing E opens the emote wheel — a circular menu showing six emotes arranged in a circle around your character. Move your mouse to highlight the emote you want, then click it. Your character will perform the animation while you stand in place.

If you have more than six emotes, the wheel shows only six at a time. You can scroll through pages by moving your mouse to the edge of the wheel or by using your scroll wheel. Once you find the emote you want, click it to play it.

The emote plays in full once you select it. You cannot cancel it mid-animation, but it usually lasts only two to five seconds. After it finishes, you return to normal movement and can shoot or build again.

Rebind the emote key to a different button

The default emote key is E, but you can change it to any key on your keyboard. Open Fortnite and go to Settings (the gear icon on the main menu), then select Controls.

Scroll down to the Emote row and click the key shown next to it. Press the key you want to use instead — for example, V, T, or a mouse button if your mouse supports it. The game will confirm the new binding and save it automatically.

Choose a key you do not use for building, shooting, or movement. Many players use keys on the far edge of the keyboard, like V or Z, so they do not accidentally trigger an emote during a fight.

Customize which emotes appear on your wheel

You can arrange your emotes so your favorites are always visible on the wheel without scrolling. In the main menu, go to Locker (the icon showing your character), then select Emotes from the left sidebar.

You will see all the emotes you own. Click and drag each emote to the wheel slots shown on the right side of the screen. The six slots you fill are the ones that appear when you press your emote key in-game. Drag your most-used emotes to the top slots so they are easiest to reach.

You can change your wheel setup at any time from the Locker, even between matches. The game saves your arrangement automatically.

Where to find and buy new emotes

Emotes come from three sources: the Battle Pass, the Item Shop, and limited-time events.

The Battle Pass is a seasonal progression track that costs 950 V-Bucks (roughly $10) at the start of each season. As you level up by playing matches, you unlock emotes and other cosmetics for free. Most Battle Passes include three to five emotes spread across different levels.

The Item Shop is a rotating store in the main menu that changes every day. It shows emotes available for purchase with V-Bucks. Prices range from 200 V-Bucks for short emotes to 800 V-Bucks for longer or more complex ones. You can preview any emote by clicking it before you buy.

Special events sometimes offer free emotes for completing challenges or reaching milestones. These are usually available for a limited time and do not return often, so grab them when they appear.

What happens when you emote during a match

When you perform an emote in a match, your character plays the animation while standing in place. Other players nearby can see your emote and watch it play out. You cannot move, shoot, build, or use items while the emote is playing.

This means emoting in combat is risky — an opponent can shoot you while you are locked in the animation. Most players emote only after they have won a match, when they are safe, or in modes like Creative where there is no combat.

In team modes, your teammates can see your emotes too, which can be useful for celebrating a victory or signaling your location to squad mates.

Troubleshooting emotes that do not appear or play

If you press your emote key and nothing happens, check that you have actually bound the key in Settings. Go to Settings > Controls and scroll to Emote. If the row is blank or shows "Unbound", click it and press a key to bind it.

If the emote wheel opens but shows no emotes, you may not own any yet. Check your Locker to see what emotes you have unlocked. If you have emotes but they do not appear on the wheel, go to the Locker and drag them into the wheel slots manually.

If an emote you own does not play when you click it, try restarting Fortnite. Occasionally a cosmetic fails to load properly, and restarting the game fixes it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I emote while moving or building?

No. When you start an emote, your character stops moving and cannot shoot, build, or use items until the animation finishes. This is why emoting during combat is dangerous — you are a stationary target.

Do I have to buy emotes with real money?

No. The Battle Pass includes several free emotes as you level up, and special events sometimes offer free emotes too. You only need to spend V-Bucks if you want specific emotes from the Item Shop.

Can my friends see my emotes?

Yes. Any player near you in a match can see your emote play out. In team modes, your squad mates can see them from anywhere on the map.

What is the fastest way to unlock emotes?

Buy the Battle Pass at the start of a season and play matches to level it up. You will unlock three to five emotes just by progressing. If you want more, check the Item Shop daily for emotes you like.

Can I use the same emote key on console and PC?

No. Console and PC have different control schemes. On PC you set your emote key in Settings > Controls. On console, emotes are usually triggered by holding a specific button. You would need to set up controls separately for each platform.